Intermediate Workout

Curls and Delts

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Now that your shoulders are warm, we're going to move to an exercise that will work both your shoulders and your bicep muscles. This exercise is called Curls and Delts, and is one of my favorite exercises to build upper extremity strength. For this exercise you will need a dumbbell or a barbell.

This type of exercise is getting a lot of attention in the research world because it is a multiple joint exercise. A multiple joint exercise works more than one joint at a time, which is similar to how the body functions on a daily basis.

The Curls and Delts exercise works the muscles that control your elbow and shoulder joints. Again, I love these exercises because they save you time, and you are exercising in the same way that you function throughout life. We never, or rarely, use just one joint when performing daily functions, so you should incorporate exercises that include multiple joints into your workout.

First, hold the dumbbells to the side of your body, and stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing the front, or away from your body.

Curl the dumbbells up as you would with a Two - Arm Curl, so that the dumbbells are now even with your shoulders.

At the end of your curl extend the dumbbells over your head with your palms facing you. Continue extending until your elbows are at the level of your shoulders.

Once your elbows are even with your shoulders, slowly lower the weight down to the end-curl position. Once you reach this position, lower your arms back down to the starting position.

Perform three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of the Curl and Delt exercise. Be sure to use slow movements so we can make sure we put all of our hard work into building your biceps and shoulders.

Next Intermediate Exercise: Lunges »

 
 

Tips for Curls and Delts

1. Be sure to maintain strong core muscle contraction when performing the Curl and Delts exercise. Avoid leaning back.

2. Maintain a regular breathing pattern when performing this exercise.

3. Perform three sets of 8-12 repetitions.